Christian Sympathy Gifts in Canada: Quiet Things to Send After the Funeral
A woman stands at her kitchen counter three weeks after the funeral, looking at the casseroles she has finally finished. The cards are in a basket by the door. The phone has stopped ringing. The house is quieter than it has ever been, and nobody has told her that this is the part that is hard.
Short answer: the best Christian sympathy gifts are quiet, need no reply, and still make sense in January. A Scripture print, a mug with the words of Jesus on it, a meal, or a promise to call back are all better than something loud. Our prints and mug start at $25.
People send flowers in the first week, and they should. But the first week is also when a grieving family is most surrounded. The loneliest stretch comes after the cards stop. That is why this guide leans toward gifts that can sit on a shelf or in a cupboard and be found again on an ordinary Tuesday.
Five of the ideas below are ours, priced in Canadian dollars and checked on 30 Oct. The rest cost little or nothing and come from the kind of thing pastors and neighbours do anyway.
Five Christian sympathy gifts from our shop
All five are printed to order by our production partner and shipped within Canada. None of the prints carries a name or a date, so you can send one without knowing the details of the loss.
The Lord Is My Shepherd Remembrance Print, from $25 for 8x10 in, $29 for 11x14 in and $35 for 16x20 in. Psalm 23:1 on a quiet cream print with a simple border. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1, KJV) Best for: a family that knows the psalm by heart. Not for: someone who wants a large picture. It is a calm page of type.
Near to the Brokenhearted Print, same sizes and prices. Psalm 34:18 on a typographic print, meant for a hard season. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:18, KJV) Best for: a person who needs the words more than the ceremony. Not for: a family that wants the gift to mention the person who died.
No More Tears Remembrance Art Print, from $25 for 8x10 in, $29 for 11x14 in and $35 for 16x20 in. Revelation 21:4 in the King James Version, on a print we designed after Martin Schongauer's Christ Appearing to the Magdalen from the open-access collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Best for: someone who is looking for the promise of an end to sorrow. Not for: a reader who prefers a modern translation, since this one is KJV only.
The Resurrection and the Life Remembrance Art Print, from $25 for 8x10 in, $29 for 11x14 in and $35 for 16x20 in. John 11:25 in the King James Version on a print designed after Albrecht Dürer's The Resurrection, also from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access collection. Best for: a family at the graveside of a believer. Not for: anyone who would find a painted scene too much just now.
Peace I Leave with You Mug, $25. The words of Jesus in John 14:27 on a white ceramic mug, with nothing else printed on it. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27, KJV) Best for: a widow or widower who will be making a lot of cups of tea. Not for: a gift that needs a name on it.
Frames are not included with the prints.
Ideas that cost little and help more
A meal in January. Everyone brings food in week one. Bring one in week five, and put the date on the lid.
A card that does not ask for a reply. Say you are thinking of them, mention one thing you remember about the person, and sign it. Write that no answer is needed.
A standing offer with a date. "Call me if you need anything" is kind and rarely used. "I will come by on Thursday at four and take the bins out" is a gift.
A drive to church. Sunday mornings can be the hardest hour. A ride, and a seat saved beside you, costs nothing.
What to say, and what not to
A sympathy gift works best with two sentences. One names the person or the loss. The other says you are praying, or that you will check in. Leave out explanations of why it happened. Scripture on a print is one thing, since the family can pick it up or leave it. A verse used to correct someone's grief in a card is another.
If you are a pastor, an elder, or a friend who does not know what to say, say that. People are rarely offended by honesty.
When a church wants to send these
A congregation that sends something to every bereaved household can order our prints or mug in numbers of 10 to 200 pieces through the quote form on our church page. We send a quote and a proof, and the price per piece is in the quote.
How we chose
Every product here is one we sell, so nothing earns us an affiliate commission, and we have linked to no other shop. Prices were checked on 30 Oct and are in Canadian dollars. You can read how we pick things on our disclosure page. More are on our memorial gifts page.
Questions people ask
- What is an appropriate Christian sympathy gift? Something quiet that does not ask for a reply: a Scripture print, a mug with a verse, a meal, or a card with one honest sentence.
- Is it all right to send a gift weeks after the funeral? Yes, and it is often better. The first week is crowded, and the weeks after can be much quieter.
- Should a sympathy print have a name on it? Not if you are unsure. Our remembrance prints carry no name or date, so they can be sent as they are.
- Which Bible translation do these use? The two remembrance art prints (Revelation 21:4 and John 11:25) are printed in the King James Version. The verses quoted in this guide are all King James text.
- How much should I spend? Our prints and mug start at $25. A meal or a handwritten card is worth just as much.